Patrick Swayze is back to work.  The actor, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March, has been cleared by his doctors to start acting once again.  He's signed up to star in the A&E original series The Beast which has just been given a series pick-up.  The show has been given a thirteen episode order.  Swayze will star as an unorthodox yet effective FBI agent who trains his new partner, played by Travis Fimmel.  Swayze's character is a veteran of the agency, and is known for his “psychologically clever” style of investigation.  While training his new partner, Swayze's character will also be pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team.

Obviously, this is great news, especially after the initial reports that stated Swayze's cancer was severe.  Now, it appears as if the cancer isn't as bad as it first seemed.  At least we should hope this is the case.  Swayze had no comment on his health in regards to his casting on The Beast, but had this to say about his character: "I have searched for quite a long time to find a character that is this multilayered, unpredictable and downright entertaining as well as a project this current and cutting-edged."

Swayze is best known for his late 80's/early 90's work in films like Dirty Dancing and Ghost but, for me, he will forever be known for his work in two films: Road House and Donnie Darko.  Road House is perhaps the most spectacularly terrible/great eighties action movie ever.  And, as the motivational speaker/child pornography connoisseur in Donnie Darko, Swayze stole every scene he was in.  The Beast sounds like an interesting project, though we won't get to see it until early 2009.  The thirteen episodes will go into production this summer in Chicago.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: Hollywood Reporter
(Image Courtesy of The Superficial)